The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-21

years the negro race mas peen, comphr-
atively speaking, very closely associated
with the whites, it is matter Of sur
prise and conjecture that they should
cling 80 tenaciously TO their peculiar
characteristics, especially those connect
ed with their religious ideas, ceremonies
and superstitions.
IL may seem an overdrawn statement,
vet it is strictly true one, that the genu-
inc derkey is never happier or more
truly in his element than when under
the excitement of "lirst-class' funeral
A relative, friend OF companion may be
i'll for weeks and perhaps suffer fot
needed attentions from their own color,
but the moment it is known that the
sick creature is dying, men, women and
children flock III and around the cabin
and set up perfect Babel" of walls
prayers and lamentations, adding to the
horrors of the deathbed and intensity
ing tho grief and excitement OF the az
ficted household.
Fora while when tho grave-decked fig
IRE lies motionless with its folded hands
muilled Jaws and immense plate Of salt
on the body to keep down the swell
ing" there is a hush and calm on the
dusky crowd and footballs and whis-
percd words betoken the solemnity OF
the hour; but this is only smothered
lull, a sure harbinger of the excitement
to come.
Could there possibly be more fit
ting time for moral lesson on the
great mystery?" And it is seldom in
deed that our colored friends allow such
opportunities to escape them. As some
aged seer Of the plantation stands with
folded arms and bowed head and gazes
reverently at the still figure there is
look of hushed expectancy on the sable
faces of the gathered crowd. Nor are
they to be disappointed, for tenderly
covering out of sight the rigid features
of the dead the old man wipes aside q
few stray tears and solemnly begins:
'Jis so, my sisters and brudders, we
mortals is boun to pass away. We Is
here to-day; who knows whar we will
be tomorrow? Jis rs you see dis body
a-lying here, jis so YOU is got to be; it
may be soon or it mout be late, but, all
de same you's boun' for to go.
Oar amt no Citing rohu dis fling
dey call def. DE rich and de poor, de
high and de low mus all go de same
way, and blissid be de man dat is ready
to 'cebe de summons"
Oats lie trufi, brudder; OATS de
gospel" echo the crowd, and waxing
eloquent the old brother continues:
ave go on from day to day in our
sins. and we gifts so sot in der blief oh
our own strength dat it pears like as il
we is gwine to lib on furcbber, and
cherry day ole Satan he whispers as how
Won ain & no whar nigh def and whar's
de use oh praying and den when you
leastways spects it dar is a pain heah
and pain dar and you is STRICKEN
down on yer def bed So, my dear
frens, / says he on de watch and nebber
weary of watching, kase def is shure
fur to fine you out. You is boun fur
to pass outen dis life into dat great
eternurty Man is like de grass in dc
fiel-he is here to-day; tomorrow he
is cut down, and we can't in no wise
tell de hour or de day we is gwine fur
to be cut off
"Dar you is rite. my brudder, dem
am Gospel words You is said" and the
hushed awe is broken, tongues are
loosed and the eager crowd gives itself
up, mind, heart and body, to the en-
joyment of the occasion.
When you see the "dusky wards Of
our nation" at n Sitting up" with
dead person of distinction among Their
own race you see them in all their pomr
and glory. The entire night is passed
in prayers, singing and shouting, inter
spersed with violent walls and lamenta-
tons, from kith and kindred friends
The more bitter the grief the greater
the delight of the assembly, and If al
the burial the breaved mourners should
be so overcome with grief and excite
ment as to lose consciousness the salts
faction is complete, and big, little
young and old will affirm that ida. was
a sure fine funeral" and that "Mr. OF
Mrs (somebody) would sures res good
in his or her grade, kase de funeral
passed off so hansum."
81 can conceive of no greater trial
than for n house servant to be denied
the great privilege of attending funer-
al, and the expressed sympathy of those
more fortunate ones who witnessed the
ceremonies is genuine indeed.
81 shure is sorry You couldn't go,
kase dat wus a pinted good funeral.
DE folks wus a site TO behold, and dey
acted as fine as ladies and genemen
could ack. Dat Youngest gal iis tainted
plum away and it tuck two of de bred.
ders to hole her sister L clar to good.
ness, couldn't tie me down in de white
folks house when dar wus such big